Souls on the Line
by iamonlyatest
Summary: Dec. 21 slides by with a false dark cloud hanging above. Link lives in our modern times on Earth, scoffing the prediction. That is, until a portal breaks through by the hand of a Great Evil. Link learns of a destiny awaiting the timmid hero. However, Link must also deal with personal issues while saving a world he feared. In time, Link will learn what true friendship means.
1. Chapter 1 - The End Begins

Chapter One: The End Begins

Courage and self worth were never really my strong suit. I drove around the city, uncertain of where I was headed or really needed to be. Thoughts about my own worth began to steam again. After my sister's accident, I jumped on the wagon to be in the back so no one noticed while tending to any need requested. Two years after, and I'm further away than I had ever wanted to be.

I pulled the car over into the gas station and just sat at the pump. Could I really do it? Would life pick up? Things seemed to grow worse each day that passed. But how can I say it? My therapist thinks I have the courage, but from where does it appear?

My phone buzzed. I picked it up to hear Midna. "Hey, bro! What's happening?"

"Getting gas," I grumbled.

"Cool. Just figured I'd let you know that I finished coalescing the search database into a uniformed system! Took me forever!" As she cheered, I followed suit, even though I wasn't sure what she had done. "Thank you! Thank you. Now, you texted me first. What did you need to talk about?"

I froze. I had planned this, but she was acting like it was another casual conversation. How can _she_ be so calm?

"Link? You there? Hello!"

"Yeah, um… I just…" My mouth dried.

"You want to come over? We can celebrate the 'world's destruction' while bumming around."

"Ha. Yeah," I said, jumping at the chance to start over.

"Right. Come on by then. Bring tacos!"

"See ya." She had already hung up.

Midna; always full of energy. How can my sister of all people be excited about the end of the world? Well, prophesized 'end of time.' Great, now my thoughts are scattered. I'll never be able to talk straight with her now.

After taking a few breaths and suppressing the urge to breakdown, I got out and began to fill my car. While the gas flowed, I grabbed a squeegee and cleaned the windows. The bitter cold tore away at my coat. I scraped off a chunk of ice covering the model name; EP one. Midna just calls it Epona. She's a good car, treating me well over these past few years since I first started driving. At least she doesn't judge me, or turn away. Least, I hope no one else does.

By the time I make it to Midna, it's close to midnight. With a bag of a late dinner in hand, I knocked on her door in the desolate apartment building. "Come in!" a speaker replied. I opened the door and stepped into her home. Almost immediately, I tripped over the wires covering her floor. I know she's a wiz when it comes to computers, but starting up her own cloud in this building was insane!

I lifted the tacos as I entered her bedroom. She was propped up in bed, a computer on her dining tray. She pushed it out of the way to better greet me. "How's it going?" she asked as we hugged.

"Um, same old, I guess. You?"

"Well," she began, pulling the computer back in front of her, "I've managed to condense much of the data into a singular form where I can acquire the world's database far more quickly than any other search engine." She continued on as I hand her some food. I sat back and listened quietly. Much of what she goes on about is far over my head, but I'm just glad to hear her enthusiasm.

"Right, enough about me. What was it you wanted to talk about?" she asked as she bit into the greasy food.

"Um, well," I spotted a clock, "It's almost midnight." Dumbass; avoiding the subject.

"If you think about it, it's already been midnight several times around the world. If it didn't end during any of those, who's to say it will end now?" Sure enough, the seconds hand joined the other two and struck '12' all at once. A small chime announced their union.

The world did not end.

"Right. Enough distractions! What did you want to talk about?" Midna placed her food on her computer and pushed it out of the way. After, she turned and looked at me fully.

"I, uh…" Nothing seemed to escape. I have hundreds of thousands of thoughts, yet I can't seem to get one out. Before long, ten minutes had passed, and still I haven't found another word. This is a moment I have thought about countless times. Coming out to anyone would be helpful, especially my sister of all people! She's the most caring person in the world! She has to support me!

"Well, um," I start again, "you see, uh," and get lost. Again. After a deep breath, I suddenly found a miniscule fire ignite in my stomach. Courage? "I've wanted to come out and say these things for quite some time. Since I was young-"

BOOM! RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE!

The room shook violently and I fell back against the wall.

"Earthquake!" my sister yelled. Small items about her room tumbled to the floor.

BOOM!

A flash of light pressed against window. I staggered to my feet and opened the curtains. The blinding light appeared from the city. A bomb? It was a blue light; no bomb I could think of. A terrorist attack? Of all places, why here?

The light died back, but there was a distinctive blue glow. My body pulsed with a fire once more while the earthquake ceased.

I fell to my knees, clutching my chest.

"Link! Are you hurt?"

I shook my head, but another spasm gave me up anyway.

As the pain returned, I was acquainted with another feeling; familiarity. Senses, ideas, visions, impulses; I was flooded with a particular vibe of… clarity? Purpose?

When the pain subsided enough, I opened my eyes to find a dull light emitting from the back of my hand. It was three triangles, but the bottom left was a far brighter gold. That's when I heard Midna beginning to cry. Her face was buried in her hands.

"I'm useless! I can't do anything!" she sobbed.

"Midna-"

"You're hurt and I can do nothing!" She flopped back in her bed, pulling the pillow over her face.

The electricity flickered for a moment before blinking out. The room was bathed in a blue hue. In the darkness, I can see the blue light easier. It's definitely from the city. However, a smaller light is skittering about. I turn to help Midna when I hear a knock on the window. Looking back, the small light was bobbing just outside. Even Midna stopped to look.

I approached slowly and lifted the window. The light bounced inside!

"I've found you! I can't believe I found you!" Did the light just speak!? "Best to send the signal." The light grew brighter for a moment, and then the voice sighed as it dimmed. When the light faded, I realized it was a very small person with wings.

"What the fuck are you?" Midna asked, stealing my question.

"Me? What kind of question is that!" the tiny person responded. I could see that it was a young woman. "I'm a fairy. Haven't you seen fairies before?"

We both shook our heads.

"Right. This is a bad start."

Another light suddenly burst into the room! I shielded my eyes. Once it was gone, the bedroom was left with sparkles of light floating about a life-size young woman. She wore a fancy dress and tiara. What's more odd is I feel a sense of 'bad memory' when I look at her.

"Thank you, Navi. I had not expected the Hero to be so close." She looked at Midna with a nod and smiled. Then she turned to me. "You're the chosen one?"

I felt dumb looking behind me, but it was such an odd question, I didn't know what else to do.

"Me?" Her smile retreated a bit.

"Yes. Your name is Link, correct?"

I nodded unconvincingly.

"Hm. Let me see your left hand." When I didn't move quickly enough, she reached for it. This strange woman stared at the glowing triangles on my hand. "I don't believe it. I had expected a more… skilled man."

I felt my face warm. Who is this woman? What the hell does she know!

"Who are you? What's happened?" I asked, yanking my hand from her.

"Of course, my apologies. I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule. The time grows short. Your world has been locked from magic for many millennia. A great and powerful evil has awoken in Hyrule and plans to conquer the entire world. You are the one chosen by the Goddesses to fight and destroy this darkness!"

Did I hit my head? Did she?

"However, it appears you are in no condition to fight. Have you a sword?"

I didn't move.

"A shield? Weapons of any sort?"

I looked to Midna.

"Are you certain this is the Hero?" Zelda whispered to the fairy.

"Yes. He has the gene."

The princess stared at the carpet. After a moment, she faced Midna. "Not you?"

"Me?" Midna asked. "A hero? In my condition? How _dare_ you!" When Zelda seemed to not understand, I saw something I never hoped to see again. Midna reached down and lifted her covers, exposing what remained of her legs. Zelda seemed horrified, not by the sight, but her own foolishness.

"My apologies! I am so sorry!"

"Princess! We're running out of time!" the fairy bobbed frantically up and down. "Any moment longer and evil will spread."

"Give me a moment of peace. I have to concentrate." She stared at the carpet for a long while again. The fairy flew to the window.

"Are there more-"

"Shh!" Zelda snapped. I closed my mouth. She looked up at me. "There is only one option; we must withdraw."

"And leave their world defenseless!" The fairy frantically bounced around Zelda's head.

"It is all we can do. Should he fight now, even the smallest of minions would defeat him. Look after the girl." Zelda walked over to me and grabbed my hand. Sparkling lights began to surround us when-

My eyes struggled to open amidst the bright light surrounding me. As they adjusted, I realized something was… different. There was neither sky nor ceiling. Around me was nothing but air. I felt the ground. At least there was something to stand upon.

Zelda leaned over me. "Awake?"

I shook my head. "What happened? Where is Midna?"

"There is much to explain. But for now, I will say this before you become distracted. We have left your world and entered a dimension between the two; a space where we may train you to become strong enough to fight the Great Evil."

"But what about Midna? The rest of my family! You kidnapped-" When I sat up, I felt the 'different' oddity again. I looked down, thinking I would find something small when I saw I had breasts under my shirt. After a moment, I reached up and poked one. As it turned out to be my own flesh and blood, I leaned further over and looked to my crotch. The jeans hid anything, so I cupped myself down there.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I laid back down, my head feeling very light.

As I came to, I was disoriented by the endless space above. Could that have been a dream? It felt so real.

I lifted my head up to find the breasts still there. Zelda came into view.

"Will you faint again?"

I shook my head. There were thousands of questions buzzing through my head, but all that came out were tears. I rolled to my side, curling up.

"I am so sorry. But the chromosome you received from your father is marked with a tracking spell. It's the same gene passed through countless generations of your male ancestors. I had to replace it for the time being. In your world, I cannot sustain enough magic to conceal both you and I. Although I would be proud to be in your place with an altered body, I would not be able to sustain a well enough barrier whilst you venture out to fight.

"For now, you must train yourself. Grow stronger. You'll come to tolerate your changed body." She placed a hand on my shoulder. "The chromosome is not lost, just hidden. When you are strong enough, perhaps we could replace it."

I stiffened. "No."

Her hand pulled away. "I'm sorry?"

"Please, don't." I turned over to look up at her. "I'm- I was- am…"

"It's going to be alright." Zelda leaned down closer to me.

I'm not sure what came over me, but I bounded up and wrapped my arms around her, embracing her fully and bawling into her shoulder.

"It's fine. You will return to your normal self in time-"

"No! You don't understand!" I could feel the fire of courage build in the pits of my stomach. "I want this. I've _always_ wanted this! Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to be a girl." Did I say that or think it? "I was just a moment away from telling my sister when the earthquake struck and you appeared. But I never thought-"

"You wanted to be a woman?" Zelda pushed me back some to look in my face. It was hard to read her with so many tears.

"Yes. I'm transgendered. I had already begun therapy and hormones, but was getting ready to out myself to my family and friends so I may soon reveal myself full-time. But here, just because of a fluke, you gave me what I've always missed! The thing I thought impossible since I was a child, and feared others would hate me or hurt me if they ever found out."

"I had no idea. I've never heard of a chosen one going through such difficulties." Zelda hugged me again, rubbing my back as I wept into her shoulder. I didn't realize until then that I had this crazy grin on my face.

"No matter who, or what, you are, I have faith in you to be a true hero and save our worlds."

Over time, I trained with Zelda in swords, bows, horseback riding, and other various things she thought a hero would need. It was hard to tell how many days passed as there never was a change between night and day. She explained a little about my own lineage and soon to be faced destiny, but kept quiet over herself or her homeland. Another important bit of information was that Navi, the fairy, was looking after Midna and protecting the both from evil's reach. One more thing Zelda came in handy with was my new body. She had indeed changed out my chromosome, giving me a fully-fleshed woman's figure and body in whole. It was embarrassing the first time I had to speak with her about my period, but I could tell she was embarrassed just the same.

Many other things came up, such as the Goddesses of the Triforce, the Great Evil, and a bit history over Hyrule. It was interesting to hear so much about a reality I thought impossible. My own mission was to close the gate to my world. With the gate sealed, the Earth would be protected from the Great Evil. I insisted on helping Zelda deal with the Great Evil in Hyrule, but she refused, saying, "Our worlds are different. Magic must defeat magic." Eventually, the matter was dropped as I concentrated harder on my training at hand.

I sat down, the virtual sword of magic I was holding disappeared. Zelda walked over, holding out a hand. "You've gotten much stronger. I want to say you're ready."

Grasping her hand, she helped me to my feet.

"You really think so?"

She smiled. "It's your decision. You've trained for some time and seem willing enough." A virtual moblin appeared. "There will be many more, with real swords that can seriously hurt you if you're not careful." The moblin ran towards me. I rolled out of the way, jumped, and kicked the back of its head. Drawing a virtual sword, I slashed the moblin, making both things disappear in a spray of glittering lights.

"If I wait any longer, more people could be hurt. It's been too long as it is!"

Zelda sighed before nodding. "There are a few things that we need to discuss. The first is a gift. Since you feel prepared to begin this journey, there has been a customary outfit the Heroes of Destiny have worn. And I now present them for you to bear." She motioned her arms, summoning sparkles that engulfed my body. For a moment, I felt naked as a warmth spread over my body. The pleasant feeling was quick to leave when I felt my chest being compressed. Just after, the lights faded and revealed my new garbs.

There was a thick forest-green tunic with short sleeves on top of a brown long-sleeved shirt. I sported khaki pants with a heavy density as well as worn leather boots that went past my ankles. A hat sat on my head with the same color as the tunic. It seemed more like a flaccid dunce cap. Around my waist rested a dark brown belt with a small pouch attached on one side. When I opened the pouch, I stuck my hand in only to find… well, _not_ find the bottom.

"That **Adventure Pouch** is a special item all the heroes before you wore. It has what is called the 'Hammer-Space,' an infinite storage capacity resting in the smallest place. Simply reach in and feel with your heart the item you wish to summon."

"Wow!" I said, still reaching in, almost to my shoulder. As I did, I felt that terrible constraint on my chest again. Ignoring the pouch for now, I felt my chest to find that my breasts had shrunk!

"That is the other thing we must talk about. You cannot let anyone know you are now a woman."

"What! You're turning me back into a man? How could you!" I felt my face warming.

"That's not what I said. You will remain a woman. However, if the Great Evil ever got wind of your change, they may come after your family to figure another way to track you down. At least with this, they remain under the idea that you have a magical barrier protecting you from their tracking spells."

"This just feels so weird," I mumbled as I mull over everything.

"You will have to keep up this rouse until after the gate has been sealed."

I nodded. If that's what is required of me, I think I can wait a while longer before coming out fully to my family and friends. At least when I do, I won't have to have surgeries or take anymore hormone pills. I smiled to myself as I thought of all that money I would be saving.

"Do you have any other concerns before we return to your world?"

My attention drew back to Zelda. "I'm ready."

Zelda took in a deep breath. Waving her arms in a particular matter, a portal of blue light appeared. "Shall we?" she asked as she stepped through.

A final shiver of hesitation washed over before I followed suit.

When the blue light faded, it was dusk. I was looking over the city draped in darkness. There were the occasional fires, but the only actual lit structure was the gate. I could see now that it was using the Arch as a frame. Some buildings were visibly damaged even in the dark. This was the city I was born in, raised in, and planned to live in until my own death. This is my city. This is _our _city.

As the vigor subsided, I realized we had appeared on the rooftop to my apartment. Zelda moved towards me, but I quickly ran to the door for the stairs. My feet glided over each step, until I was at my front door. Without thinking, I reached for the hidden key and unlocked my home.

It was dark inside. There was a thick coat of dust and webs in the corners. How long have I been away? A few months at most. There was no electricity, but I opened a drawer to get my **Maglite**. With a bit of light, I felt more comfortable exploring my own home; a strange feeling. As I passed the kitchen, I could only imagine what the foul odor could be or rather had been. In my bedroom, I felt a sudden sinking feeling. When I sat on my bed, a cloud of dust burst from the sheets.

So this is real? I had a reservation that it was all some dream or long coma. Unlike a dream, I have a real sense of touch and memory. There are smells that never appear in any of my dreams. Do I really have to embark on such an adventure? I was fretting over my gender only a few months ago.

"Link?" I could hear Zelda from outside. She has been so nice to me. Just like Midna.

Midna. Mom. Dad. They have to be safe.

Creak!

I lifted my head to see Zelda in the doorframe. "Are you okay?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Right. Grab your sword and let us leave quickly."

"Sword?"

"Do you not have a weapon?"

I shook my head.

Zelda inhaled quickly and loud. "We need to find you a weapon with haste. If we are to venture out and begin this journey, you'll need a sword at the very least. Or some kind of technological weapon your world possesses."

"Well, my downstairs neighbor has a sword collection. Perhaps we could use one of those?"

"Splendid! With sharp steel at your side, you'll vanquish those standing before you."

"Well, actually-"

BANG!

I froze.

"That was fast," Zelda whispered with a touch of worry.

"Cavalry?"

"There will be no cavalry coming. We are all there is."

Creak.

Creak!

I swallowed hard, picked up the maglite, and looked into my apartment. Nothing. As I approached the living room, another creak echoed. And then a snarl.

I turned around, but nothing was there. Looking back to the door, I saw it open. A moblin walked in; face sneering, covered in rags, and holding a spiked club.

My breath caught.

"Link!"

The moblin rose the club and swung it down to strike me, but I quickly roll to the side. I had a moment of hesitation, but a fire burned in my body that quelled those reservations. Remembering my training, I got to my feet and thrust my foot towards his head. However, the moblin easily dodged and punched me away, making me drop the maglite. I crashed into my couch, a cloud of dust concealing me. As I rolled off the couch, the club smashed into the cushion, spitting out another cloud.

I heard the moblin sneeze. From behind, I jumped onto his back and wrapped my arms around his neck. The club swung back to miss me and instead got stuck in the wall. With one arm holding tight, I began to punch the moblin's head. His hands grabbed my collar and flipped me over. I was smashed onto my coffee table. The dust irritated the moblin, making him sneeze again. And again.

While holding my breath, I got to my feet and pushed the moblin backwards. He stumbled and smashed through the window. I looked out in time to see him smack the ground, turning into a cloud of black smoke.

I heaved a sigh. Zelda came behind me clapping.

"Well done."

"Sure. Thanks for the help."

"If you become at all reliant on another, you'll find yourself dead soon enough," she huffed. Zelda walked over to the front door, checking for any others. "Are you coming?"

"Give me a sec." My heart was racing, my body covered in a cold sweat. What have I gotten myself into? "Why did he… poof?"

"The creatures of our world are comprised of an evil mist concocted by the Great Evil. When they die, they return to the mist."

"What happens if I were to die?"

"We all die," she responded coldly.

I snagged the maglite and then headed out of my home. I led Zelda downstairs to the apartment below. It was locked. For a moment, I considered knocking, but figured that he had to be far away by now. At least, I hope.

After running back to get the club from the moblin, I use it to smash off the doorknob. This apartment was also extremely dusty. I shined the light around just to be certain we were alone. No body; that's good news. In his room, I found all of the swords still in their place.

"This really is some collection."

"Yeah. It's just too bad they're not sharpened."

"What?"

"Right, what I meant to say before the moblin attacked was that they are display swords. All of them are real, except none are sharpened for safety reasons."

"I see. We'll have to find a blacksmith to perhaps sharpen one for us."

"Good luck on that. Our worlds really are very different," I chuckled, picking off a sword.

"Choose a good one."

The first was a huge bastard sword; too long and heavy. Next was a basic sword; no thanks. I picked off the samurai sword, starting to feel a connection. However, its handle was made of plastic. That wouldn't last. A dagger pair seemed okay, but needing to get that close to use would place me in more danger of making an error.

Off towards the corner was an elegant double edge sword with a beautiful hilt. When I picked it off, I was surprised by how light it was. After testing a few small swings and jabs, I had made up my mind. I began to feel more confident with the **Dull Display Sword**.

"A fine choice," Zelda agreed. "But we must hurry. If the other moblins realize they're missing one of their friends, we will be swarmed."

I tried to think of how I looked from Zelda's point of view. A young woman, born a man, was now turned into a woman and pretending to be a man to go out and protect their world from a Great Evil. This will be… interesting.

Hello! iamonlyatest here! Figured I'd let you jump into the story before talking. Anywho, this legend comes from a mix of things, but much of the inspiration come from random sparks of electricity coursing through my brain. That and I wanted to have fun with the "End of the World According to Mayans" thing. At any rate, have fun! Enjoy the winter season as we dive head first into the cold. Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah and Happy Festivus!


	2. Chapter 2 - Parks and Wreckage

Chapter Two: Parks and Wreckage

…

We stood in the sword collection room for a moment.

"Link! We must leave," Zelda pressured.

"Okay. But where?"

She relaxed back against the wall, a bit of a surprised look about her.

"If there isn't anything off right, I want to find out if my family is okay."

"Well, now that I search, I can feel three strange auras. Perhaps they hold clues as to how to close the gate."

"You don't know?" I felt my jaw fall.

Zelda turned away. "To be honest, I'm not certain how the gate was created to begin with. I only got a quick glimpse of the gate before Navi and I passed through it. There was very little time to research what was happening before we were forced to come here."

I couldn't manage a word. After countless times of asking her about her world and the time leading up to the incident, she told me nothing. Forethought anyone!

"I have my theories on all that has happened, and I am confident these auras I'm sensing will reveal more conclusive evidence."

"Until you figure out more, I'm going to see my family."

"You cannot. That may endanger them further."

"Well, what about Midna at least? She's with your friend Navi. That could be a safe place."

"I suppose that would not be such a bad idea. Which way does she reside?"

"Let me think here," I said, closing my eyes. I placed myself in my mental map and zoomed out slowly. As I rose off the map, the bird's eye view revealed her to the west. I lifted my arm and pointed towards a wall. "To the west."

"Hm. That goes right along the path of one of the auras. So then, that shall be our destination."

"To Clayton it is then!" I proclaimed and lead the way. "Wait. Can't you just teleport us there?"

She shook her head. "The magic would be inherently sensed by the Great Evil's minions. Teleporting here had one sentry searching for us. But using that magic again will only reveal our location out right. For the time, we should hope they considered the first as an anomaly."

"To Clayton by foot!"

We made our way to the ground floor. At the front door, I peered out on the streets. Turning back, I waved to Zelda and we walked on. Outside, the sky was the color of tar, the ground covered in rubble and trash, and a feeling of dread gazed from every shadow. But to the west, however, there was a bubble of light peeking through the darkness.

This _was_ a bad idea.

Much of the beautiful buildings were simply abandoned. One or two on the historic block appeared to have met resistance as their roofs were torn apart. And the further west we got, the more devastated the buildings seemed. However, much of the damage had been concentrated on the roofs.

We came to a once busy street. It was so uncanny to be standing in the middle of Kingshighway and not a soul in sight. Well, that was until I spotted a couple moblins. Did they see us? I felt this surge of anger when I saw them. They took my city! They hurt my friends and neighbors!

A tug pulled my shoulder back. Zelda pointed out a half-dozen more walking towards their comrades. They stood around a small fire, screaming and laughing. I looked to Zelda who nodded to the park ahead. It would be easier to walk through the park in a straight line, but there were so many lights coming from it that I feared a greater monster than the moblins. Could that be possible?

We entered **Forest Park**. There was a steep hill, but we kept low to avoid the wandering eyes of the moblin crowd. The grass was very tall and wild. How long has it been? Everything seems overgrown.

Zelda pointed towards the bubble of light. "That's where the aura is emitting from."

"Figured."

As we crept through the park, we passed a couple trees and came face-to-face with a moblin. It stared at me for a moment before pushing me away. I drew my sword as it swung its club, missing Zelda. On my feet, I jumped between the two and struck back at the monster. My slash attacks did nothing more than knock around the moblin. When it raised its club above its head, I lunged forward and managed to pierce its stomach. The moblin shrieked before dropping its club and bursting into the mist.

My breath returned to me. A wave of relief swelled up inside and I fell back to the ground. Had I been that scared? I felt as though I was crossing a tight rope. At the same time, there was a rush of aggressiveness that overtook me.

"We must hurry. That was a lowly guard. Should we run into a captain, he may call for reinforcements."

I gulped and treaded onward.

…

There certainly were a few more moblins as we got deeper into Forest Park. I had taken care of them easily, using the lunging stab to finish them. At one point, we had run into a captain, but I broke his horn before he could shout for others. As we walked through Forest Park, we passed the outdoor theater and the history museum. The bubble of light became obvious as to its location; **The Zoo**.

The closer we got, the sicker I felt. Zelda nearly had to push me to enter the zoo. I hadn't been here in quite some time, but the last time I was here, the animals weren't roaming free. We had entered near the bear pits and a large black bear approached us. It looked more savage than I had remembered. With a single swipe, I was tumbling across the ground. I had little time to recover as it charged towards me. Side stepping, the enraged bear smashed into the concrete wall. In a daze, I took advantage and stabbed the bear. But it didn't burst into mist.

The bear recovered, angrier now. It trashed about, scratching me a few times. I tried to run away, but it followed and caught up quickly. Stabbing its neck, the bear howled. Its rage ceased, falling on its side. Once it hit the ground, it returned to the mist.

"Are you alright?" Zelda questioned. I waved her off as I caught my breath. "Here; take a drink of this."

She put something to my lips, but I refused at first. When I felt a gush of blood soak my hand, I opened my mouth and accepted the drink. It burned as it went down. However, I noticed quickly the pain was subsiding. My wounds healed rapidly to boot!

"What is that? It tastes awful!"

"A common red potion used to heal wounds and suppress pain. I've only a couple more so learn to be more careful."

I gave a short laugh.

…

We had run across many locked rooms and more deranged animals. It felt odd to harm these beasts, but they had succumbed to the mist. Was there anything I could do? As we passed the exhibits, I noticed that there were many bones from the animals who did not change, except into food for their possessed counterparts. The flight cage, or bird house, was draped in a thick black fog and a horrifying screech echoed from inside. The elegant lock keeping us out could not be a good sign. Especially since Zelda felt the aura from within that room.

Instead, we went to the Red Rocks area, filled with large cats. It was frightening being stalked, but I held my own. One tiger had sunk its claws into my back before biting my shoulder. I managed to stab it in the face, making it explode into mist almost immediately. Zelda gave me another potion. With a small key, we got through and made our way along the path.

"This seems to be laid out in a certain way," I mentioned.

"Yes. This place has been turned into what is known as a dungeon. They have a common connection to that of my world. But why did they do it here? What are they protecting?"

I shrugged.

There were a few small animals that jumped me, but were easily swatted away. Eventually, we made it to the children's zoo. I was walking ahead of Zelda when a gate shot up from the ground separating us.

"Zelda! Are you okay?"

"I am. But stay on your toes!"

I turned around to see a goat. Hm. Seemed easy enough. However, another appeared. Then another. And another! The four goats stood next to each other for a second before they erupted into mist. The powder coalesced and formed a **Four-Headed Goat** standing taller than me. It roared before changing at me. I rolled out of the way, but a goat head on the side bit my shoulder. I jumped away and slashed at the goat. The head seemed to fall in a daze, but it was revived when the other goats bellowed with a green glow.

"Shit! This is ridiculous!"

I had to run away as it rushed me again. Another head tugged at my hat, pulling it off. My hair flopped around, covering my eyes. For a moment, I was blind to the action. There was a fire growing inside me. I spun around and sliced two of the heads, knocking them out. Another bellow from the others and they were back in the fight.

"Link, just knock them all out at once! Hurry!"

After evading another attack, I grabbed my hat and replaced it on my head.

"How?"

"Use the **Spin-Attack**. Focus your energy into the sword and spin around. It should do the trick!"

Couldn't she have taught that to me earlier? I readied myself and focused on the growing fire inside. The goats were too close and knocked me down. Before I could get back up, two were chewing at my arms. I dropped the sword, but managed to wiggle away. Now the goats stood between me and my only weapon. No! The maglite!

I reached into my pouch and retrieved the industrial flashlight. When they went to charge, I shined the bright light into a couple eyes, forcing their attack to falter to one side. In that moment, I ran to my sword. With it in hand again, I readied the spin-attack. The energy focused quicker as the fire seemed to fill my body. The goats stampeded again, and at the right moment, I shone the maglite again, dazing them.

Perfect. I unleashed the built up force inside and spun around a couple times. There was a blue light trailing my sword, surprising me. I had managed to strike each goat head a couple times apiece. It heaved a pitiful murmur before falling on its knees. Not wasting the moment, I rushed forward and imbedded the blade into the body. A final howl and then they returned to the mist.

The gate opened, including two others.

"You did it!" Zelda shouted.

I staggered over to one of the new paths to see a larger wooden chest. It called to me. As I approached, I felt my energy slowly return to normal. Lifting the chest lid, I discovered a **Slingshot **anda** Small Seed Pouch**.

"Cool."

"Now you're starting to gather useful tools. Soon, you'll have an arsenal of weapons at your disposal to aide you in any situation."

I opened the seed pouch to see what the pellets were.

"Walnuts?"

"**Deku Nuts**. They have a blinding flash when they burst and can even stun small enemies."

With one in hand, I loaded it into the slingshot and shot it out in the room. Sure enough, there was a bright flash when it hit. Perhaps this Hero thing wouldn't be so bad. Though, pretending to be a guy still is a little annoying.

"Link, we have to hurry and find the key to that bird house. Its aura is immense."

We wandered through the new area which led to the River's Edge section. The first thing I found odd was that the elephants were missing. I felt a tinge of pain when I still couldn't see any after a few minutes of walking. Had they died? Of all the animals at the zoo, the elephants were my favorite, especially Raja. I was around when he was born and loved to see him grow as I did.

But, the plains were empty. That didn't last when a tiger roared, followed by a howl from something else. Something inside me knew this could be bad. I started to run.

"Link?"

As I rounded the bend, I spotted the tiger, along with three others. They had cornered an elephant. It was hard to see which it was in the dark, but they were in danger. Had they not turned?

I pulled out the slingshot and shot a couple seeds at the tigers. One that was about to attack froze. The others turned to me now. I quickly stunned another with a deku nut before drawing my sword and running. Before the two frozen tigers recovered, I managed to defeat one and injure the other by using it as a shield from another's claws. Jumping over, I stabbed the tiger, turning it to mist. The one I had leapt over scratched my back. When I stumbled forward, I was about to be struck by the last tiger when an elephant trunk slammed onto its back.

I looked up to the elephant, its eyes gleaming in the small light. Raja. Not letting this pass, I spun around quickly to slash the tiger who scratched me, and then returned to finish the pinned one.

After, I slumped to the ground to catch my breath. Zelda came to my side with another red potion, but I turned it away. "I'm fine." Raja came up, extending his trunk to me. He patted my head. I can't believe I was fighting alongside Raja. Of all the people, an elephant came to help. When his trunk fell down some, I noticed the many scratches over his body. I took the potion away from Zelda.

"Link? What are you doing? That's not for elephants!"

I didn't listen as I let Raja smell the potion. He seemed turned off at first, but took the small bottle. The elephant popped it into his mouth and sucked on it for a moment before retrieving the pot. It was slimy, but I accepted it. Raja moaned loudly as I noticed his vigor returning and his wounds healing

I approached and couldn't help myself. I hugged his big head as best I could manage. From behind him, I could hear other roars. The rest of the herd began to slowly file out of a covered area and greet the bull.

"You seem to have a way with these animals," Zelda said, stepping to my side.

"I'm hoping there are other animals hiding as well. Perhaps not all is lost here. It would be tragic if the rest really had turned evil by the mist." I came to a sudden realization. "Zelda, be honest."

"I shall do my best."

I hesitated. "Were the moblins once humans?"

"In a manner of speaking." She walked over to Raja, his trunk rubbing her arm. Zelda reached out and felt the gentle giant's face. "The dark mist infects those who have died. It can possess a living creature, but they would be released if beaten. Do not let it affect you as much. Look upon it more as you are freeing their spirits and bodies from the grip of the Great Evil controlling them."

"I guess." Have I been killing humans and animals all along? Were they really already dead? Are they just zombies?

A roar echoed as a tiger jumped down from above, landing on Raja. It sunk its claws into Raja, forcing the elephant to scream in pain. He bolted forward and down the path. The other elephants called out, but Raja kept running.

I charged after, hoping that tiger doesn't hurt Raja anymore. He barreled through many other animals, some bursting to mist upon impact. The elephant, on the other hand, seemed blind. At the bird house, he stormed through the main door, breaking the lock with little resistance. Not far behind, I stumbled through the gate, only to have it close behind me. I didn't care.

The elephant had stopped, still screaming though. Suddenly, the tiger burst into a black mist, but it congealed into a deep emerald crystal and imbedded itself into the back of Raja's head. He fought, but soon opened his eyes to reveal a green glow similar to the crystal.

"Raja! Fight it!"

But there was something else wrong. His back seemed to be steaming, and bubbled like it was molten. A screech echoed. I covered my ears and watched as a massive bird hovered above the elephant. It gave another call as it lowered itself _into_ the back of Raja. There was a blinding flash, and I looked upon an unholy beast.

**Shadow-Beast Raja** was something I could not have fathomed within my own nightmares.

"Link!"

Hearing Zelda broke the fear on my legs, allowing me to move out of the way as Raja had blasted some kind of ball of mist towards me. How could this have happened? It seemed like he was specifically targeted. There had to have been motives to bring the proud elephant to this state.

As I was dodging the mist projectiles, I could still see the emerald crystal poking from his neck. If I could get close enough to break that, perhaps I can still save Raja. When I came in range, the trunk swung, knocking me down. A quick recovery and I was back in range, but evaded the attack. Except now the wings flapped, blowing me away.

"What am I supposed to do!" I shouted.

"Hit the mist back! He's still a living creature."

I stood up, facing the beast. It shot out another ball. Stepping to one side, I tried to bat it back like a baseball, but I merely sliced through the mist. Another followed, but had the same result.

"Link! Use your spin-attack!"

"It won't work!" I yelled back, having to dodge a few bullets of mist.

"Trust in yourself!"

It wouldn't work. I just know it. Instead, I pulled out the slingshot. There wasn't a clear opening for a shot, especially since I had to keep moving or be hit with the mist. When I managed to hit the winged-elephant, he shook it off quickly. Could I manage to harm Raja further? Would _he_ feel the pain?

"Stop wasting pellets and do as I say!" Zelda demanded.

I turned to shout back, but what would be the point. These beasts and mist are a part of her world. Of course, I _should_ listen to her, but I held reservations. Nevertheless, I dazed Raja for a second, then pulled out the sword and focused my energy. This time, I noticed that the blue light slowly grew around the blade. Could this work? Another mist ball was shot. Just before it would hit, I unleashed my energy, smacking the mist right back to Raja! And it knocked him down!

Without a second to lose, I rushed over, climbed on top of the ailing beast, and slashed at the crystal. A couple hits cracked the crystal, and Raja did not care much for the pain. I was tossed off, landing in a small pond when I felt a blast of wind. The beast had taken flight! I watched as he soared to the roof of the cage and dove towards me. Ducking in the water, I could feel the air pull at me when he passed.

After he turned around, he fired more of the mist at me. Not wasting a moment, I built energy and knocked back one of the projectiles, but it clearly missed. Raja was having a difficult time flying in the small cage, but managed to turn and fly around while shooting bullets of mist at me.

A wild thought crossed my mind. I picked out the slingshot again, aiming right for Raja. I missed a couple times, especially since I had to move to avoid the mist. One hit the mark, in the eyes, dazing Raja. He ran into the cage before falling back to the ground. The seismic energy knocked me on my ass, but I recovered and ran over, jumping on his back. With a few quick slashes, the crystal finally shattered!

I was tossed aside as the beast recoiled and howled. A mist enveloped him before it separated and returned into the enormous bird. It shrieked at me before bursting through the hole now in the cage, heading towards a rising light in the sky. Raja was normal again, laying silently with a tiger on his back. The tiger burst into mist and disappeared.

The gates opened and Zelda ran to me. "You did wonderfully! I'm so proud of you!" She gave me a big hug before turning to the elephant. He looked exhausted.

I walked over and petted his trunk. His eyes opened slowly as he sighed.

"You're welcome," I responded.

A moment later, Raja got back to his feet, if a little wobbly. The other elephants called out to him, and he trotted off to his family.

"You seem really attached to him."

I smirked. "I was around when he was born here. He was the best thing about this zoo."

Turning to Zelda, I saw she was starting to walk away and towards a strange glow. At the far end of the bird house, there was an altar with a green stick emitting a green aura.

"As I suspected," Zelda said as she approached. "This may help us close the gate!" However, she motioned for me to retrieve it. I advanced cautiously, expecting something bad to happen. When I placed my hand on the stick, I felt my whole body disappear out of existence.

For a moment, I couldn't tell if I had a body still. However, I could hear something ahead. This world I saw was pitch black save a speck of light in the distance.

"Chosen Hero…" a voice echoed. "You have retrieved a holy staff, the **Staff of Farore**. With the three staves joined again, the connection to the worlds will break. Travel now to find the others and find me in Hyrule. There is more the princess has not told you."

Air returned to my lungs. I pulled out the staff more by accident from being disoriented. Zelda braced me before I hit the ground. She looked over me carefully before picking up the staff.

"The Staff of Farore. How strange that it be on this side of the gate. Perhaps the others are here as well."

"What is it for?" I asked.

Zelda laid the staff on the ground. "It's made of three equal lengths of wood, but one is at a particular angle." She began to draw lines in the dirt. "When all three are joined together, they form what is known as the Triforce. It's not the real Triforce, but merely a projected image. Its holy shape will have the power to close the gate."

I stood up and stared at the markings. With the staff, it became four equal triangles forming a larger triangle.

"What is the Triforce exactly? You've mentioned it before."

She sighed. "I will tell you more when we rest. Is your sister much further?"

I looked up to the brightening sky. "Not far."

…

As we left the zoo, I noticed that the evil beasts had all but disappeared. Many living animals walked out into the growing morning. I was relieved to see so many had survived. A last goodbye to Raja and we left. Not far after, we walked in front of the art museum, and though Zelda said she didn't sense anything, I felt something inside my heart pull me to the museum. But, the feeling was fleeting.

By the time we left Forest Park, the morning was set. Though exhausted, I felt revived by the sunlight. An hour of walking through deserted streets confirmed my suspicion that we really were alone. Perhaps Midna had escaped as well with the fairy? Since the park, I hadn't seen anymore moblins or other mist creatures.

My thoughts disappeared when I looked up to see Midna's building destroyed.

"Midna!" I screamed as I bolted towards the rubble.

"Link! Wait!"

I ignored her as I ran. There was nothing but ash and scattered parts of the- SMACK! My body exploded in pain as I fell back. Zelda stood over me shaking her head. "I told you to wait."

As I looked over, popping my neck at the same time, I saw Zelda sidestep and she was gone! What just happened?

"Hurry up!"

I slowly got back to my feet, many joints creaking as I stood. Moving over to where Zelda has vanished, I caught glimpse of something peculiar. Another crack in my neck and I sidestepped just as she had. When I opened my eyes, I was standing next to Midna's apartment fully intact!

"What is this?"

"A fairy's magic. It's mostly undetectable and relies on illusions. None of the moblins would ever be able to look straight at it, making hiding in plain sight the best place."

I nodded as I ran up to the door, ringing the bell. At the same time, I noticed a few new things. A tiny camera popped down and looked at me.

"Link? Is that really you! Holy shit! Get up here!" I heard Midna over some speakers. The front door opened and I flew in. I ran up all the stairs, the pain from earlier completely forgotten. On the top floor, I rushed in her apartment and swung open her bedroom door.

She was laying in bed, a computer in front of her. Just as I last saw her. "Midna!" I jumped the distance between us and wrapped my arms around her. "I can't believe I found you!"

"Me? I thought you were dead!"

We laughed and cried at the same time. I swelled with so many emotions, I just couldn't let go. I'd found my sister.

I could hear Zelda breathing hard at the door. "Zelda!" the fairy screamed as she zipped around her. "You're back! I knew you'd return!"

When I leaned back, I just looked at Midna. She seemed tired, but the smile on her face glowed through that exhaustion.

She lightly bonked my head. "Where were you? It's been forever!"

"Sorry! Zelda was-"

"What's up with your voice?"

That's right! I'm a woman! After being with Zelda for the past few months, I'd forgotten that was ever the issue. Her words of warning echoed in the back of my head. '…if the Great Evil ever got wind of your change, they may come after your family…' How would Midna react? In the time it took Evil to take over this city, I've change my gender! Would she even understand?

"Uh-"

"And you look so- young? What were you up to these past three years?"

"Three years!?" I choked. Looking back at Zelda, she seemed to be as shocked as I was.

"Yeah. It's been just over three years since you vanished the night of the Arrival."

"We were training. Zelda told me about my destiny and she was preparing me for what was ahead. It didn't seem like three years. Maybe a few months; half a year at most!"

"Well," Zelda chimed in, "the dimension between our worlds does not fall upon a linear path of time. The concept of the passage of time is irrelevant in a dimension with nothing. I guess it is possible that we were on a whole different plane of time that moved at an incredibly slower rate."

"Wow!" Midna and I said. That explains why everything seems that much more drastic upon our return.

"So you just trained and that was it?" Midna asked.

"No. When we got back here, I wanted to see if you were okay. Along the way, we went through Forest Park and retrieved this," I answered as I reached down into the pouch and pulled out the staff. "It has something to do with closing the gate. There are two others just like it."

"Hm," she pondered. Midna pulled her computer back in front of her and began tinkering. "I've been very busy myself, and with the help of Navi here, have mapped out the infected areas."

"Infected?" I looked down at the screen. There was a plain map of the city and its surrounding area. Much of the map was encircled by a large orange line. Inside the circle, there were many little black dots, along with three high concentrations of them.

"The government has barricaded much of the counties surrounding the city. They tried everything to defeat the monsters, but conventional weapons don't seem to work. How is it that you've done it?"

I shook my head.

"It's because Link is blessed by the Goddesses."

"Goddesses?" Midna asked.

"I had told Link bits of his destiny, and now I see the strength of destiny thriving within. I'll tell you both why Link was chosen, so listen well. Before time could ever be recorded, there were three Goddesses; Farore the Goddess of Courage, Din the Goddess of Power, and Nayru the Goddess of Wisdom. Each contributed their abilities to the world and created the land of Hyrule, instilling their Courage, Power, and Wisdom. After its conception, the Goddesses left behind three golden triangles representing each of their gifts called the Triforce.

"The Triforce was entrusted to Hylia, a goddess herself. She protected it from the mortals who could embody the powers of the Triforce. When Hylia gave up her immortality, she left it within the Sacred Realm where it was to be kept safe. However, many dark forces sought after the Triforce to use its power and control the lands of Hyrule. Through all time, there have been many instances when a Great Evil attempted this feat. However, a Hero would rise up and banish the Great Evil, rescuing the world. Link is a descendant of that Hero. It is now his duty to rise up and seal the gate before the Great Evil has a chance to envelope your world in shadow."

I sat on Midna's bed, exhausted still. "But I'm just one person. How could I have the power to fight a monster like that?"

"The Triforce is comprised of three parts; Courage, Power, and Wisdom. When the Great Evil attempted to take hold of the Triforce, it broke into its separate pieces and sought out those destined for their gifts. The Great Evil received Power, a desire they hold dearly. I was blessed with the gift of Wisdom. And the gift of Courage could not find you initially. Your ancestors had traveled away to this world you now live on. When the gift realized this, it broke through time and space in search of the Hero. Link, you are the Hero embodied with Courage and the spirit to fight back and defeat the Great Evil."

"Huh," was all I could muster.

"Link's the best person to receive courage. He's never had any!" Midna laughed. I felt a tinge of pain when she called me 'He.' I have to tell her. She's my sister!

Zelda must have known what I was thinking, as she stared me down.

"Well, if you found that one at Forest Park, I think I know where the other two may be." Midna went back to her computer. I leaned over to look. "See, there are three large concentrations of the monsters. One was in Forest Park. The other two seem to be in the Anheuser-Busch plant and the water treatment plant near Riverview. Perhaps you should start…" Her voice trailed off. I looked over at her to see she was staring at me. Specifically my chest. "Link, did you hurt yourself?"

I stood up and adjusted the torn tunic. "I'm fine! Just a scratch!" I tried to laugh it off. But inside, I really wanted to tell her. My fears and reservations had lifted, but there still seemed to be a barricade.

"Something wrong?" she questioned.

"No!"

"But-" she narrowed her eyes, looking me up and down. Her eyes grew wide.

"_Yes_! Something is different!" I jumped in before she could say anything. "It's something to do with a tracking spell. I can't tell you more than that." I lowered my head.

"Link. I-"

"You wouldn't understand. _I_ barely understand." I felt a few more tears.

When I raised my head, I saw Midna held her hand out to me. I stared at it for a long while before grasping it. She pulled me in and hugged me again.

"You're Link; my sibling. It doesn't matter who or what you are. So long as you remember those two essentials, everything else is trivial." I bawled into her shoulder, soaking her shirt with snot. "Besides, I've known for quite some time."

I froze. "You knew?"

"Course. There's just that connection between us. You can't expect to hide something as major as this!"

I cried harder, but laughed at the same time. Have I worried about nothing? Was this really how easy it was going to be? Could I have wasted so many years of worry and depressed thoughts and fear for nothing?

No. It doesn't matter.

…

After I calmed down, Zelda allowed me to go into a little more detail about the change with Midna. She was very interested and supportive. I also explained a lot more of my history, including the time when I knew what was missing in my life. She told me after when she first suspected me. It was when I was still in high school. She and Mom did a major overhaul of cleaning, including the attic. That was where I hid myself, in a small suitcase under everything. When Midna looked into it, the clothing was new, yet she didn't recognize them. She put them back and didn't mention it to Mom.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how Midna had become more supportive of me not long after, taking a greater interest in my well-being. How had I not noticed? Her confirming clue was when a package came in bearing my name. The bottom tape was loose, allowing her to sneak a peek. She turned it over to me and asked what I got. I claimed books and movies, but she knew I was lying.

"I'm not a freak," I mumbled.

"Of course not! You're human! It happens sometimes. I knew a kid in college that did what you wanted to do. However, they didn't have a magical fairy godmother who made their wish come true! You're the luckiest girl ever!"

I couldn't help but giggle at that.

"Besides, at least you had good taste in clothes. I would have been disappointed if it was frilly-foo-foo clothing."

I stuck out my tongue. "Please! I can't stand that shit! I'm more of a tomboy if anything." That made Midna laugh uncontrollably.

"It fits your personality," she finally said after catching her breath. "So long as you're happy."

"I am. I've never felt this unity between my mind and body. It's so… normal."

"Just wait until Mom and Dad hear this!"

"No! You can't tell anyone!"

"Right. Sorry. Forgot."

"But Mom and Dad; are they okay?"

"Yeah. Since finishing the computer with the help of Navi, I have been able to communicate with the outside world. Luckily, they were still on vacation when everything hit. There's very few people left inside the barrier; the city is even more desolate. But there has been a lot of support and concern over what's happened. I, on the other hand, have become a leading voice over the matter. Not to brag, but I have talked with the president a couple times even!"

"Really! That's awesome!"

"Now that I know more about what's happening, I can relay it to the outside world."

"But-"

"I'll leave out the gender part. You have my word. But the world must know that things are getting better. Their Hero has arrived!"

"That's fine," I yawned.

"Tired? Go take a nap for a bit. You'll need your energy if you plan to save the world."

I nodded. "Goodnight."

"Afternoon."

I left the room and walked into the living room. Zelda was laying on the couch sound asleep with Navi nestled in her hair. Grabbing a comforter, I pulled it over Zelda and left for the spare bedroom.

Immediatley, I plopped down on the bed. Before I could fall asleep, I rolled over and felt a pain. The sword was jabbing my side. I stood back up and disrobed. Everything was dirty and stained with blood. Once I released the bandages, my chest felt more relief than any other part of me. In the nude, I snaked under the warm covers and passed out.

...

**Back once more. I had originally planned for this to be a bi-weekly thing, but the holidays and alcohol... Anyway, I'm here now. I like to work two chapters ahead, so at least I'll be ready for the next update! Have fun and remember; hunting whales is illegal in Oklahoma.**


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